Across the Border After the Dog

More Australians will have the rare dog breeds, and many have to travel to Sweden to get the breed they want.

The medium-sized hunting and family dogs are in decline in Norway. Dog farming becomes more varied, and the number of pure bred dogs is increasing, according to figures from the Norwegian Kennel Club. Dog farming in Norway is different than in most other countries, because we have so many hunting dogs. But now we see that the international trends of smaller breeds are rapidly entering the country, says farming responsible Petter Steen in dog food manufacturer Eukanuba.

Missing Puppy: the high demand leads to the Norwegian salmon farmers are unable to provide NOK puppies of the most popular and rare breeds. Many people buy puppies from Sweden, where the selection is greater and prices are often lower, says Petter Steen.

Last year, it recorded 1,785 imported breeding and show dogs to Norway. It is the first time there has been an import statistics of dogs to Norway. In addition, imports of dogs that should not participate in competitions, but these dogs are not on the list. Most dogs come from Sweden, but also dogs imported from countries like England, USA, Denmark and Finland.

- It's been a greater international cooperation among farmers in recent years, and it leads to better breeding. It is not particularly difficult to import puppies from a number of countries, says Petter Steen.

Dog ownership reflects

When a breed is increasing in popularity may be driven too much breeding of this breed. It can affect genes, if not new blood enters. Thus, the health of the dog is weakened. It is unfortunate when some breeds have excessive attention in the media. An example is the Chihuahua, which has been multiplied in number in five years, he said.

There is also a strong increase in rare breeds such as family dog’s lagotto romagnolo and Eurasia.

- Dog can be a status symbol that says something about the person you are, or how you want to be perceived. Many owners are willing to spend much money on these dogs, says Eukanuba Veterinary William Bredal.

Thorough preparation

William Bredal believe all potential dog owners should do a thorough job before deciding race.

- Small dogs can be just as much dog as big dogs, they can have a fiery temper. Talk to other owners of the breed, contact the breed clubs and doing research on the internet.

When the puppy is purchased, it is important to attend courses and be careful with feeding. Remember that puppies should not have too much food.

- There is a widespread misconception that the puppies will be good and round. In order to prevent disease among puppies of large breeds, they should rather be a little on the thin side. And for them to learn better, they should eat food that contains the right amount of fatty acid DHA, said William Bredal.